Perrydale running back Haylen Janesofsky (5) runs for a touchdown during their game on Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, in Perrydale, Ore.
The addition of Haylen Janesofsky to the Perrydale High School football team has made the No. 6-ranked Pirates into a state championship contender.
The 6-3, 165-pound junior joined the team for its 62-20 win against Ione and rushed for six touchdowns filling in for then-injured running back Keenan Bailey.
Perrydale is 7-0 and 5-0 in 1A Special District 4.
Janesofsky was a star as a starting running back as a freshman, but was injured in the first game last season and didn’t play again.
In Friday’s 52-20 win against Sherman he carried the ball four times, but rushed for 52 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for a 39-yard touchdown from the running back spot.
He also played a lot at offensive end and intercepted a pass from his safety spot.
“It’s a game-changer,” Perrydale coach Chris Gubrud said. “It’s a game changer just to have the threat. People see what he does on film, and they know they got to account for him, and that opens things up in the middle.
“And then when we did go to him, he made big plays and big runs and one pass reception for a touchdown. He’s an exceptional athlete and a great guy to have on the field for sure, both sides of the ball. He allows us to cover spread teams as well on defense because he can tackle in space and stuff like that. He brings a lot.”